The invention relates to improvements in levers in general, and more particularly to improvements in pivotable levers which can be used as rocker arms in valve mechanisms of motor vehicles. The invention also relates to improvements in methods of making rocker arms.
A rocker arm can be used in a combustion engine to be pivoted near the center and operated by a pushrod or other motion transmitting means at one end in order to raise or depress the stem of a valve normally engaged by the other end. As a rule, or at least in many instances, the median or central portion of the rocker arm is provided with a passage which extends transversely of the two arms of the rocker arm (in the direction of pivoting) and serves to receive a bearing or another device which can be actuated by a cam.
A drawback of presently known levers which are used as rocker arms in the valve mechanisms of combustion engines is their high cost and insufficient stability.